To the poors-I salute you!

Safari Dave said:

For me, "financial status" has had hardly anything to do with my ability to go on some great hunting trips.



My first African safari cost me $375 at a SCI dinner and included 2 trophy fees.

Making friends and fostering, real person-to-person relationships with people have afforded me many opportunities to go on fantastic hunts.

Click to expand...

Making friends and fostering real person-to-person relationships with people = fantastic hunts? Now I know what went wrong. It's a good thing my investments advisor is on her toes.

Rimbaud said:

I actually did spit out my Pappy, and dinged my G-wagon when I read your post. I just want to assure you that two cases of Pappy are inbound to you in beautiful Madison, Ga., so as to spare you the risk of developing PTSD.

Click to expand...

That is much appreciated! I shall have my butler meet the driver at the gate!

TOBY458 said:

That is much appreciated! I shall have my butler meet the driver at the gate!

Click to expand...

I shall await your feedback on my man’s behavior. If he fails to impress with his carriage, which should be like that of a Prussian drill sergeant, and his manners, which should immediately indicate that you are dealing with a representative of a Southern gentleman, and of a great plantation, an even greater ranch, and a global collection of sporting estates and city townhomes, please let me know. I will insure that he does penance by riding for days in the seat next to the bathroom on all flights from Atlanta or NY to Florida.

Russ16 said:

I agree with that. I bank about half a million miles a year between my flights and business expenses I put on my American credit card. Make me ok with paying for a business class seat to Africa because I’m saving so much money ooh other flights with miles. Last 18 months I’ve booked 5 business class and 2 coach tickets (for others attending my wedding) to Europe for no cost other than miles. Add up what those would have cost even in coach and it’s well over what I paid for business to Africa.

Click to expand...

Yes, that's what my wife and I do. We have a Chase United card that we put all household and other expenses on and this allows us to fly free domestically with points. We hardly write checks anymore. We have four kids with three of them living in other states so we travel quite a bit domestically. We are Gold status and get free checked bags and free automatic upgrade to economy plus. We usually book the exit row that reclines with extra legroom if we are not upgraded to first class. This allows us to splurge on business class when flying internationally. I don't use points for international flights because I am going to remote areas/camps and use Gracy Travel to watch over any changes or problems while I'm mostly out of touch.

Your just as bad as he is lol!!!

I can help the OP get into comfort+ or even business class if he wants to. I’m in the Bakken and can fast track his resume to one of my regional managers.

Infrastructure protection, oil field service, GIS overbuild, company housing, good wages.

DM me.

TheRookie said:

Figured I’d throw a shout out to all the guys on here who fly cattle class, don’t have a family ranch, and who will never drop a 100k on a hunt. We may not be rich, but we’re fun.

Click to expand...

@TheRookie
If'n it wasn't for cattle class I wouldn't be able to fly. The problem is at my size legroom is an issue. To solve the issue I always book an exit seat, cost a fraction more but gives me the legroom at cattle class prices.
I may not be wealthy we have a beer income but somehow manage to have a lot of fun
Plan,save then spend and enjoy. Life is to short to worry about money. As long as I can pay my bills put a roof over our head and food in the cupboards with a bit to spare in a happy camper.
I know a few unhappy rich people they worry about loosing it. When you don't have much to lose you seem to worry less. There ain't no rich people in cemeteries.
Bob

dchum said:

What’s the point of this post? Even in your introduction post you bring up your financials.

Do you plan on hunting in Africa? Or just here to post stuff like this?

Not many of us drop 100k on a hunt….

Btw I fly cattle class….
I also was raised to not worry or talk about others financials, or my own.
Such a boring topic.

Click to expand...

@dchum
To me the point of this post is that you don't need to be wealthy to hunt Africa depending on what you hunt.
Hunts in some countries for animals such as moose,elk and bear in the USA and buffalo and bantang cost far more than a hunt in Africa.
I have wanted to hunt Africa since I was a kid but thought I would never afford it on a beer income.
Fast forward a lot of years and a lot of conversations it worked out I could have a far better hunt in Africa cheaper than I could hunt buffalo in my own country.
I learnt that just because you have on old 06 for example and a beer income doesn't meant you can't hunt exotic animals in exotic places and that type of hunting is in the realm of the average person and you don't have to be wealthy to achieve your dreams just determined.
Bob

Hedge774 said:

Just to be fair, guys. I totally understand the meaning of this post and respect it, but anyone who can fly to a foreign country for leisure is not poor. Most of the people I confide in call me rich for being able to drop $10K on a safari. Come to think of it, in many, many ways, I am very rich. Thanks for all you guys bring to my table!

Click to expand...

@Hedge774
My wife and I are far from wealthy. We travel a fair bit within Australia and save for about 5-10 years and are then able to do great trips overseas. Our last trip was an around the world six country trip. Airfares for that for the two of us was $7,500 for cattle class and extended legroom for me. So unless flying business class or first class air travel can be relatively cheap.
My son is doing a 100 day works trip at the end of the year and he is by no means wealthy. Student studying radiography and worked his arse off doing bar work to get money at the same time.
He has some smarts when it comes to money and by paying bills with credit cards he was able to amass a lot of travel points so the air fare for his entire holiday is practice zip I think less than $2,000.
Money doest mean much to me. Family, good friends, love and time spent with them is far more valuable than any amount of money.
I'm not financially wealthy by any means but I am very wealthy in the things that matter to me and the people I care about and that includes people I have met on this forum.
As my brother said money doest buy happiness but it does allow you to choose what miseries you have and it doesn't buy you friends just a better class of enemies. Then again he is far better of (read rich) financially than me but he is a miserable bastard that wouldn't even give you a wave if he owned the ocean.
Bob

@Bob Nelson 35Whelen I agree with you completely. Some of the wealthiest people I've ever met, really had the least of things that mattered. Thanks for the post, my friend.

Someone is not happy with the choices they made in life.

The best advice I got here, “ Africa is not as expensive as you might think”

From joining to wheels up was 10 months. I booked a management hunt with 10 animals and no trophies. It was our 25 year wedding anniversary and our first international trip.

From that I have had many conversations with members across the world. Met most of the Aussies I’ve met through the forum.

To top it off we went to New Zealand 5 years later. We visited Von Gruff in his modest home and was given a tour of his workshop and process. I ate toasted sandwiches for lunch in his kitchen and that is priceless.

DaddyFlip said:

No ill will toward the OP; I'm sure the post came from a good place. The joy of this forum is an absence of class in spite of the differences in wealth; the money doesn't matter here. Anyone who thinks it does might be in the wrong place. Listen to the guys here who can afford anything and everything; they say it's less your money and more your priorities that determine your ability to afford your dreams. And AH is a place to share, not compare, experiences; it's not a competition, though you can tell almost everyone here has a competitive spirit, which has made us all successful and worthy comrades.

Click to expand...

@DaddyFlip
When you said you enjoy this forum because of the absence of class.
I have to disagree there are some pretty classy people here.
All the ones I have met have class just I pity I haven't.
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
Bob

After flying in seats facing backwards in a C-141, or the web seats in a C-130, and eating those wonderful box lunches, flying cattle class with the airlines is like flying first class.

CBH Australia said:

The best advice I got here, “ Africa is not as expensive as you might think”

From joining to wheels up was 10 months. I booked a management hunt with 10 animals and no trophies. It was our 25 year wedding anniversary and our first international trip.

From that I have had many conversations with members across the world. Met most of the Aussies I’ve met through the forum.

To top it off we went to New Zealand 5 years later. We visited Von Gruff in his modest home and was given a tour of his workshop and process. I ate toasted sandwiches for lunch in his kitchen and that is priceless.

Click to expand...

@CBH Australia
Chris I did it a bit different to you.
I got talking to my mate Ted Mitchell because I knew his son ran an outfit hunting water buffalo and I was interested in doing that.
After talking to that mad bastard Ted he asked why do I want to hunt a wild plough cow when you can go to Africa have more fun and more animals for less $$$. He put me in touch with an outfitter and the rest is history.
I was forced into retirement thru a shoulder injury and was at the age I could get my super tax free.
There was nothing the family needed or wanted and my beautiful wife said why don't you make your dream a reality. Sit the family went to Namibia and we were 21 days away in total hunting and sightseeing. It was a trip we will NEVER FORGET. One of my better choices in life.
Since then I have been very privileged to hunt Chinese water deer in England and still hunt at home when I can.
What more does a man want or need.
The love of a good wife, family and friends
The ability to own some nice(to me anyway) rifles
And the ability to hunt and pass my knowledge in to my son and others.
Life is good and I'm wealthy in the above.
A mate once said Bob God loves you., everyone else thinks your an arse. Well at least God loves me and if'n heaven is as good as down here all will be well
Bob

Gunnie said:

Id ride with the luggage if it meant I could go back sooner. One of the folks on our hunts wife upgraded his seat for a hundred dollars day of the flight. He jokingly apologized for us getting bumped by the stewardess taking him snacks. Made for a great laugh.

I joined here many years ago with the dream of going to Africa and questions about my 375. Decided foolishly it wasn’t in the cards to go then sold the rifle. Several years later joined some family and friends on a plains game hunt and before I got back was working on planning the next one. This community is excellent and helpful. Plus reading others reports and memories they share helps scratch the itch in the meantime.

Click to expand...

@Gunnie
I'm sure there's plenty of enablers here that can sort you out with a 375 in a reasonable price range or one that would make your eyes water at the cost.
It's what we do because we like you.
Bob

Bob Nelson 35Whelen said:

@DaddyFlip
When you said you enjoy this forum because of the absence of class.
I have to disagree there are some pretty classy people here.
All the ones I have met have class just I pity I haven't.
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
Bob

Click to expand...

Well played @Bob Nelson 35Whelen sir!

Bob Nelson 35Whelen said:

@Gunnie
I'm sure there's plenty of enablers here that can sort you out with a 375 in a reasonable price range or one that would make your eyes water at the cost.
It's what we do because we like you.
Bob

Click to expand...

Oh I’ve got myself a new Hawkeye African in 375 Ruger I’ve worked up a load for should be ready to rock and roll!!

Bob Nelson 35Whelen said:

@CBH Australia
Chris I AM a it a bit different to you. Noted

I was forced into retirement thru a shoulder injury and was at the age I could get my super tax free.

Click to expand...

Bob Nelson 35Whelen said:

A mate once said Bob God loves you., everyone else thinks your an arse.
Bob

Click to expand...

Sorry for the edit mate but makes for a bit of fun.

We all have different circumstances and goals. So long as we prioritise family and strive to achieve something it’s all that matters.

I’m 6 years from freeing up my super, more importantly it’s still 9 years till I can my my hands on my wife’s super.

The consequence of that is I will work till she is 60.

I might still bet retired by 65 so that’s a bonus on the extra 2 years that were added to pension age .

Our income is ours collectively and the only thing she doesn’t mind spending money on is travel so I plan trips and she plays passenger princess.

I basically think people who hunt Tanz are rich HAHAHA

just kidding